Clark takes the flag on Mexico's debut

ESPNF1 Staff

October 27, 1963

The first ever Mexican Grand Prix was held at the new Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez at an altitude of 7,500 feet, with a volcano as its backdrop. With a bumpy surface and very thin air due to the high altitude, it made driving conditions difficult, but Jim Clark gave another supreme driving demonstration in a flag to flag victory.

Starting on pole ahead of John Surtees and Graham Hill, Clark dominated the race from beginning to end. He quickly pulled out an eight second lead over Dan Gurney with Surtees in third, who was not happy with the way his Ferrari was handling. He made a pit stop to adjust the suspension, but the car wouldn't re-start, so Surtees was push-started by his mechanics, which caused him to be disqualified.

Gurney soon dropped back with fuel pump problems, which allowed his team-mate Jack Brabham up into second, ahead of the two BRMs of Richie Ginther and Hill. That's the way it finished, with Jo Bonnier in fifth and Gurney ending up in sixth, two laps off the pace.

Mexican Moisés Solana hired a spare BRM and finished last of the 11 finishers but made history in the process, as the only driver to have raced a grand prix carrying the number 13.